Pat Metheny "Improvisation #2" - excerpt - from The Orchestrion Project

This is a four and half minute excerpt of "Improvisation #2" from Pat Metheny The Orchestrion Project. The film is being released in theatres on October 3rd, 2012. For more information, please visit www.theorchestrionproject.com

[@andrewdillard5671]

One of the great attributes about Pat Metheny is that he doesn't care what anyone thinks about his music. I've read/ heard him say this on several occasions. If you like it, great. If you don't, even better. Personally, I start to worry when I like something everyone else likes. He did this because he wanted to, at a specific point and time in his life. Doesn't mean this is his permanent gig, and he'll never play with another human being again, as we know by now. Just like when he did The Way Up, I heard so much backlash about that from the mainstream Metheny fans who couldn't digest it. That really made me happy, because it lost the mainstream that couldn't hang, and that his music can tend to bring in at times. So if this pisses you off for whatever reason, good, quit listening, and get over it.

[@richardhines8622]

Its a proper attitude going into the world with what ever language .

[@thewondertool]

Seeing this live was one of the most amazing and unique concerts I've been to. It's incredible he can manage all of this at once and have it sound like a human was on each instrument.

[@projectmolcos]

I’ve always thought Pat Metheny was one of the greatest figures to have honoured Jazz with his presence. His playing, creativity and versatility make him a modern-day Mozart. This is proof.

Improvisation #2 **My favorite piece from "Orchestrion". That recording is an incredibly enjoyable listening experience.

[@pat557]

What no one talks about, is that once you get past the "Novelty" of Orchestrion, is how STRONG all these compositions really are. some of pat's best work, IMO..

[@jonesclansj]

Interesting to read other perspectives and the limited understanding of the technology used here. It is a marvelous way to create music - instead of samples, patches and processors, but with acoustic based instruments. With the amount of computer based gear used on everyday music, this is a breath of fresh air of one musician's expression being played out on many different instruments. His finger print/DNA is translated in how the instruments respond and play. Like playing with your shadow. Some of the performance is pre-programmed (by him) and some of it is triggered live and some completely improvised and looped. Beyond the method(s), which is astonishing, the compositions and his improvisations are rare, complex, and compelling. Master class is in session.

[@FloridaSPHB]

It's Pat, who continually re-invents himself. Mucho Kudos Pat!!

[@mejsjalv]

This is one of the most ambitious things I've ever seen.

[@EatinRecords]

Pat, you've always been one of my favorite GTR players...so melodic...don't stop creating...

[@MaxFrankl]

Great Video- I really enjoyed watching! Best wishes, Max

[@FogoLabs]

This is a funny comment coming from filmmakers, but when you watch/listen to the film, you should close your eyes from time to time. It's quite amazing the impact you feel when you open them and see what you've been hearing.

[@broadcastical]

Pat is from a different world... I am inspired by his sound too!

[@MichaelMichuki]

WOAH !! !! !! good example -> Practise and determination

[@jonwollenberger]

It's strange to me that people have a problem with this! It's not like it's perfect, it's an experiment, it's still an idea in development. But it is still beautiful, strongly composed music (the project in general) as is typical of Pat! Also, let's be clear he's playing all the other instruments through the guitar! Creating loops and such. It's just a new way of playing a solo show (not pre-programmed, although even then so what!). It's music, what's wrong with trying new things. It's what you're supposed to do!

[@TaniaMazoni-tg3mi]

Esta inspiração é magia pura. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👼👼👼

[@delfordmathews]

This is an example of mastering something, if i was working in a production plant i would be worried. There is no one on earth like Metheny

[@jlucguitar]

magic music !!!!!!

[@michaelalderete9622]

I disagree, respectfully, with the negative impressions I've read, regarding the robotics vs. real human musicians, it's been done before, etc. And instead of making useless (and probably sloppy) counter-arguments, let me submit for these critics a list of things I've come to like about Orchestrion after many listenings and taking my boys so see it live at Disney Hall, in Los Angeles: 1. Writing new music for the Orchestrion seems to have invigorated Pat's already superior and signature composition skills. He's gone in new (and very interesting and very listenable) directions that wouldn't have occurred with "just another band". Great new melodies and themes and some really inspired guitar solos/leads. 2. The strengths and sometimes the inherent weaknesses of some of the individual Orchestrion instruments have often changed the nature of the music Pat composed, and in some instances, the modified arrangements some older tunes needed to work on the Orchestrion. Again, music and arrangements you would've never heard from Pat if his Orchestrion was never built. (the "more music is better" argument) 3. And a technical, but logical, argument defending the use of machines instead of any of the many talented musicians Pat has worked with. Think of the analogy of a person interacting with a machine/mechanical device, which happens anytime a performer has placed his fingers on a piano keyboard, strummed a guitar, played a huge pipe organ, or bowed a Stradivarius. All these "natural" instruments act as mechanical/acoustic transducers, responding to a pianist's touch, the guitarist's fingers, the violinist's bow and left hand. They translate a skilled human input into sound through the physics of how each instrument produces sound...So, Pat's inputs, via pedals or even direct triggering from what he's picking on the guitar, are also translated into music by the respective Orchestrion instrument that is responding to his inputs. The parallels to "natural" acoustic instruments are really startling.

[@MusicaAnima11993]

I like this and I love Pat's music, but let's remain in the context. There is a human being, an exceptional one, but human, the rest is mechanical, driven by Pat, but mechanical, and this is evident: the sound, even if very good, remains a bit flat and cold.

[@ab1175]

you always want to be right. grow up! (just kidding bro) @@MusicaAnima11993

[@muffinman74656]

This AWESOME

[@NeilRaouf]

pat is simply top!!!!

[@shimtest]

mesmerizing to watch

[@jlucguitar]

quelle imagination !!!!!! du bonheur à écouter ...!!!!

[@cosmicjazzman4817]

I am not one for "sampling" ,drum machines or any computer music. This,is different. These are REAL Musical instruments and sound really good. The player piano concept on multiple instruments. This was and is really good music! And will continue to be!!!

[@CharlieSill62VO]

Improvisational masterpiece Orchestrion Project #patmetheny

[@DWStafford]

HardlineFeminist - Pat is not replacing any humans... He IS playing all of those acoustic instruments himself! He is over dubbing onto himself - live, in front of your eyes.

[@rBennich]

Computers didn't make this music. Pat did.

[@yzimsx]

The live improvisation was the best thing on the Orchestrion tour. I think I would have actually rather listened to 3 hours of improvised things than pre-composed songs.

[@KeithSinclairMusic]

I disagree to an extent. Certainly there is the aesthetic of magic to it, but it still is great music being made by an incredible musician. The only difference between this and any other solo performance is that the instrument is bigger. I saw the Orchestrion tour live and it was astounding, but once you got over the novelty value of it, the music is still beautiful.

[@KhalDrogo76]

agree!

[@matrazpo1330]

If I won the giant lotto prize from last week, first project would have been to completely copy and have my own orchestrion project.

[@fendweller]

Dumb it most certainly is not. It does seem odd on the face of it though. A musician who's been all about the interplay between himself and others going down this road doesn't appear to make sense. But it's merely another way of arriving at a musical idea and executing it. Which Pat did quite stunningly live. The whole set-up drew the most amazingly coherent soloing out of him.

[@yetties]

At the end of the day when you get down to brass tacks and are trying to think outside of the box, sometimes the bottom line can be found lying in the pudding there with the proof. Pat plays the orchestrion as if it were a solo instrument--beautifully too! I just don't understand why he doesn't break out the Gibson Flying V for this...

[@Xenormous]

Wooo, calm down, it has its own charm, that's all.

[@bobnoxious9717]

@boobj, the Orchestrion is just as much a musical instrument as the guitar in Pat's hands. I would imagine if you were given the same set up, the results would be slightly different. That difference would be talent, artistry, or whatever you want to call it. Assuming that you an artistic bent to begin with. Judging by your comment, that would be a somewhat dubious assumption.

[@vegastyphoon]

Who built this ?

[@pacokunstmann]

estamos en presencia de un marciano jajajajja genial

[@VivaNihon]

I was expecting Terry Crews to pop up and say "PO PO PO PO PO PO POWER!"

[@MrFritzinger]

i don't want to be his roadie..

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

There was a roadie ... They say his sleeve got caught and the machine quickly chewed him up and gradually spat out the pieces over the course of the concert until finally his replacement titanium hip-bone reached the heart of it, got stuck between certain cogs and levers, which eventually made the whole thing backfire, forcing Pat to finish with an acoustical set ...

[@DetVen]

Who needs a band when you can patch a bunch of loopers and robots??

[@ad_e_aguero]

This reminds me to Cartmanland

[@lealowo]

next thing you know there will be no musician and the public will be replaced by robots as well

[@studentjohn35]

I can just see some grizzled old AFM guy raising a huge objection to this.....

[@calichav]

Not artificial intelligence... Artificial intelligence would give control to the robot- not metheny. This is a bunch of loppers. But sounds good and that's all that counts

[@elcantador2008]

Dont care the mechanical robot band:, but the music my friend...

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

loopers on steroids

[@Huntington2012ify]

Ignorance is king with some people. I feel sorry for your handicap!

[@aybee63]

Great idea!!! Let's just get rid of all the other musicians who add color, style, emotion, interpretation and myriad other aspects to a work. I get the idea but in another particular instance this practice is commonly refereed to as 'playing with yourself'!

[@hedonicmusic]

+Ay Bee So?, he doesn't play all by himself all the time, he collabs with lots of musicians, you should know that., this is just an experiment dude chill

[@enricocorona9120]

I am Sorry, but I don't like this.